The Liberal Party had not contested the seat since 1945 but their candidate David Bond ran a combative campaign and cut Labour’s majority to just 1,948 votes while the Tory vote declined by nearly 24%. As a result, The Times commented that it was the Liberals which were now the party of growth, the result showing they could do well in industrial seats as well as suburban ones like Orpington, or seaside towns like Blackpool.